Section 50. Rehabilitation and construction standards

Housing units rehabilitated under the programs must meet the following standards:

1. Subject to HUD approval, the executive director is authorized to establish and from time to time modify rehabilitation standards which shall specify the standards for work and materials to be incorporated into the rehabilitation of housing units under the program. Housing units proposed for rehabilitation under the program will be inspected by the authority for compliance with the authority's rehabilitation standards. All state and local building codes are incorporated by reference in the rehabilitation standards, and in the event of any conflict or inconsistency between such codes and the standards expressly set forth therein, the more restrictive standards shall control over the less restrictive standards. A copy of these standards shall be available upon request. All deficiencies found in the inspection must be corrected by the owner as part of the owner's rehabilitation activity.

2. Eligible rehabilitation activities under this program include work to major building systems or components. Such work is basically limited to complete wiring, new plumbing pipes, new boiler or furnace or heating distribution pipes, new roof, and exterior structural elements.

3. Rehabilitation items not required by the authority are not considered eligible work items under the program. Routine maintenance activities, such as repainting, are also not eligible items. If the owner elects to undertake cosmetic, optional, or routine maintenance work while also doing eligible work, only the cost of the eligible work will be taken into account in calculating the contract rent.

4. Caulking and weatherstripping are required in all units rehabilitated under the program. The authority will require other energy-conserving improvements such as insulating windows and floor, wall and ceiling insulation if economically feasible.

5. Property improvements to make a housing unit accessible to the physically handicapped are eligible under the program. If an owner anticipates making such improvements, the authority will assist in evaluating the work required.

6. All rehabilitation work under the program must be completed in a cost efficient and workmanlike manner. Extravagant or luxury quality improvements are not allowable. All work should be of sufficient quality to serve for the duration of the HAP contract, and any improvements for which building permits are required must meet local building code quality standards.

7. Housing units rehabilitated under the program must require improvements costing at least $1,000 per unit in order to meet the above standards.

Housing units to be constructed under the project-based certificate assistance program must meet the housing quality standards established by HUD.

Historical Notes

Derived from VR400-02-0007 § 5, eff. July 1, 1989; amended, Volume 11, Issue 17, eff. May 1, 1995.

Statutory Authority

§ 36-55.30:3 of the Code of Virginia.